Radio antenna



Sept 20, 1 c. A. TROWBRIDGE RADIO ANTENNA Fild Jul s, 1.94s

Ja e/J57:

Patented Sept. 20, 1949 *ymlilegim'rmeof. Pennsylmnw Qppli'eatien 3 mins, segue ttealh spaced; suppert :cleviees -iwhtcmserslea: also te elentzicalm insulatethe mtennafifmmtheve hiele hody and toapmxrideiorthe: eonnectiem .ot he mack-m wlrerfmm thee-antenna maistiiatvthe radiwset carried m thenear; flhesessimpogtzpder vtee'smenemllrincludemthreededmmbcr :whielm extaudathmughthe vehielehndyiandils emr'zleyed i to secure-themitenna; andf itx 5W! mtliebfldy byraiastening izmeanei' munch member fnmmterinrly of thewehiele This is: ai'dife task due-to the confined emee withm Lumen thevpe'rsen' making sthe'mstalletmmhascto work andrquite efienwit: mmmmmmlmemm fnstenineimeens unonithezthreadedzmcmbmmfli clmflyimproperly snnportfithei antenna-emiratemtuattlingztherenf jeet-af thepmserit invention is-Ml nmu'idel 132mm parturmouhttngidemiceiol' new antenna 01 the typeidesembed whieh 'embodieemwnl Minus at ceustmctiorx and arrangemcntimnhlei warmer. fastening of the supportanct'rantenautmthe-1e hielerbndwwlth :relativeiacflitmianctease;

;.-Anothervobjecti ofat-he prcsieat inventiomiszm praiiideaaxmvel: and; dmpmdflantqnna- "amt orananmtmg or .:the; ieharacterwset :torth may be readily' fastenedinimitiontima;

manner upmthei awemelemithaut regar tatheamonntoii-avaitablesmm withtn'whieh the; personz'making the mstaHationnnaY-hatre ta lwxkfurther. obleet eitherqmreutlanriqatwpmvidef a; novel and improved. antennwsunmrt 1 the features and characteristies; m1; fqmhewlgjgh is of relatively simplified and rugged constmtion, cmnparativelminexp nsive and;v entixelyemeien anslnfeolpreofi-imuse and meme.

-1ThQSQ: rand i ether emeetsmef @the inventlbnlend the-Mariam: ieaturesand detailed; theicone xue tlsmandepexation; therepf are hereinaft r? tullx' set ierth and described with reference :ta he ac company-mg drawing; in which:

EiQ:iis;a vertial-elevationelriew. wing-fig. vices: made, meantime to theepresent kimen ien. supporting a: meantime; any antenna-ewe (the 'badyet an automobile. y .s H

:Fima is; an,--..eaiareed matinee! mmtekm wer m f e eaB l fl -3 mv m w:

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tismlly thmugh the' lower mounting-elm aim. F184;}. 1

*F'rgfia *i'sfia secttenal view taken il-i-ne 3 4; 2. :rl'igmi lea; view zim perspective of one el -axpair ofaslmtlar membersembodiecr in the presentrl de Vma I i ligzifi'ts a view In perspective'ef an eye bciltem played m the support-devicerend '--1"1g .-i6- is a perspective view of a fastener or clamp member adapted to-engage-the eye-b08910?- Fig.5.

Rvefem ing now more, particularly m, the draw ihg; reference-numeral f designates the s idepanel-of an automobile: body which openings?! have 'been made-to receive thesupport devices for-mountingthe antenna tot-he eowl- 'pan'el It. I The: afiterma, supports 01' mountinge 3 eaen comprise an external annular member-or Tiny! of riibber, plast-ie another-suitable insulating mat.

meme-m afibore :5 olsubstantlal diameter extending: axiallytherethrough and a= reduced fieek or-portlonl arranged tolflt: accurately With-e in and throu'g-bnneofthe openings 2 in theear- F. member-or ring- I isprovicl'e'cl with an exteiior eircumferentially extending shoulder t upon whieh the-edge of ahollow capzmember 8 ls -adapted to seat in the relationship Jshown in-=" 'he*drawing; Theeap member a' -may ibe of any suit'abIe-materiaFsueh as, 10r example, :m'etal; plastio orthedike/wand is provided with aligned, openings 9 therein thrOnlg h Whioh extends-: the b'ase-sebtiofll'lt of the antenna A.

The-antenna Ads retained and supportednwith 1 respect t0 theeap- B :bymeans ofi an eye :bolt I l which has an "eye l2 that embraces the: antenna seetien l 0, and athreaded shank portlon t! -At-the*mher slde efthe bodywall l there. is.

positioned aasecondndielectric lnsulatinemembe or ring- M having areeess Li arranged ,tcr the reduced neck 6 of the outen'insnlator-memt Qonstrueted and; arranged to bereeelved wit-hinj'the d epening l8 and bore ;5 of the insulator ings 4. and" respective y. i the lo ga d! anced neck ll ofaa housing {8. :The housing 18.

comprises relatively spaced arms 24 having at their free ends inwardly directed pairs of relatively spaced ears 25 arranged at respectively opposite sides of the threaded portion I3 of the bolt I I, and the adjacent inneredge portions of the ears are serrated or toothed as indicated at 28 for engagement with the teeth of the portion I3 of the eye bolt II (see Fig. 2). As shown in Fig. 3, the ears 25 of each pair thereof are angularly disposed with respect to one another so that each of the ears is arranged substantially radial to the bolt threaded portion I3.

The clampin member 23 is adapted to be brought into toothed engagement with the bolt threaded portion I3 not by effecting relative rotation between the member 23 and bolt portion I3 but by effecting linear movement of the housing I8 axia ly along the bolt so that the latter moves coaxially inwardly of the housing and between the toothed pairs of ears 25 of the clamping member 23 to the extent permitted by engagement of the inner end face of the housing against the outer face of the insulator ring I4. housing I8 and the clamp 23 are moved axially along the bolt portion I3 the teeth 26 of said' clamp ratchet over the threads on said boltportion I3 and the latter is effectively retained against withdrawal by providing angularly disposed cam surfaces 21 within the chamber 22' which are arranged for engagement by correspondingly disposed end edges 28 at the free ends of the arms 24 of the clamping member 23. Furthermore, by this construction it will be apparent that any force exerted upon the bolt II tending to withdraw it from the housing I8 operates through intercooperation of the edges 28 with the cam surfaces 21 to urge the teeth 26 of the clamp more forcibly into engagement with the bolt threads thereby increasing the bite or gripof the clamp upon the bolt portion I3.

The housing I8 is mounted within a cap or casing'29 in which it is secured by means of screws or other fasteners 30. The casing 29 has an axial bore 3| in its outer end through which is adapted to pass the end portion of the conventional lead-in cable 32 from the antenna A to the radio set in the vehicle, and the cable conductor 33 leads inwardly through an axial opening 34 in the base of the housing I8 and an opening- 35 in the clamp base 36 to which said conductor 33 is soldered or otherwise secured to provide a good electrical connection between the clamp 23 and the conductor 33.

To mount an antenna by means of a support or mounting device made according to the present invention, the openings 2 of proper diameter are drilled in the body wall I andthe antenna A, cap 8, eye bolt II and the insulating ring 4, assembled as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, are positioned against the exterior side of the body wall I with the reduced neck portion 6 of the ring 4 and the threaded portion I3 of the eye bolt II projecting through opening 2 as shown. These AS the parts are held in this position by manual or other pressure exerted thereagainst and, while thus held, the housing I8 and its surrounding cap 23, with the lead-in cable 32 connected as previously described, is moved axially over the threaded portion I3 of the eye bolt II so that the latter moves inwardly of the bore 2I of the housing neck portion I1 and enters the transverse chamber 22 between the two pairs of toothed ears 2! of the clamping member 23 until the inner end face of the housing member I 8 and the adjacent outer face of the insulator ring I4 are brought into abutting relation. Thus the teeth 26 of the clamp 23 are caused to ratchet over the threads of the bolt portion I3 and the cam surfaces 21 operate to urge the arms 24 of the clamping member into increasing engagement with the bolt threads to effectively retain the bolt in a rigid and secure manner against withdrawal and also provide at all times a good and efficient electrical connection from the antenna A to the conductor 33 of the lead-in cable 32 to the radio set.

Once installed, the mounting device or support may be dismounted by rotating the housing II a. and cap 29 in the proper direction relative to 23 also may be screwed upon the bolt I I by rotat-'-' ing the housing in the proper direction relative to said bolt II to cause teeth 26 of the clamp to traverse the threads of the bolt portion I3.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that thepresent invention provides a novel support or mounting device for radio antenna of the type described which embodies novel features of construction and arrangement operable to effect fastening of the support or mounting in a vehicle body with substantial facility and ease.

The invention also provides a novel and improved 7 antenna support and mounting of the character set forth which may be readily fastened in position in a secure rigid manner upon the body of the vehicle without regard to the amount of ,available space within which to work. Further--- more, the invention provides a novel and improved antenna support or mounting having the features and characteristics set forth which is of relatively simplified and inexpensive construction and both electrically and mechanically eflicien and foolproof in operation and use. 3

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein,

it is not intended that the invention be limited to such disclosure and changes and modifications maybe made therein and thereto within thescope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a mounting for a rod type antenna, a bolt to engage theantenna rod, a housing arranged to receive 'said bolt coaxially therein, clamping means in said housinghaving portions arranged for ratchet engagement with the threads on said bolt to retain the same against withdrawal from the housing, means to cause the said portions of the clamping means to engage the threads on said bolt with increasing pressure according to the withdrawal forces exerted on said bolt, a cap enclosing said housing member, and a. lead-in cable extending inwardly of the outer end of said cap and having its conductor electrically connected to said clamping means.

2. In a mounting for a rod type antenna, a bolt to engage the antenna rod, a housing arranged to receive said bolt coaxially therein, clamping means in said housing having oppositely disposed toothed portions arranged for ratchet engagement with the threads on said bolt at opposite sides thereof to retain the same against withdrawal from the housing, a cap enclosin said housing member, and a lead-in cable extending inwardly of the outer end of said cap and having its conductor electrically connected to said clamping means.

3. In a mounting for a rod type antenna, a bolt to engage the antenna rod, a housing arranged to receive said bolt coaxially therein, clamping means in said housing having oppositely disposed toothed portions arranged for ratchet engagement with the threads on said bolt at opposite sides thereof to retain the same against withdrawal from the housing, cam surfaces interiorly of said housing cooperable with said clamping means to cause the toothed portions of the same to engage the threads on said bolt with pressure that increases according to the Withdrawal forces exerted on said bolt, a cap enclosing said housing member, and a lead-in cable extending inwardly of the outer end of said cap and having its conductor electrically connected to said clamping means.

4. In a mounting for a rod type antenna, a cap to receive said rod, an insulator ring supporting said cap and arranged for positioning against the exterior side of a wall having an aperture therethrough coaxial with the opening through said ring, a second insulator ring for positioning at the interior side of the Wall in interengagement with the first mentioned ring, a bolt engaging the antenna rod within said cap and projecting 40 through said insulator rings to a point therebeyond, a housing having a reduced neck arranged to extend through said wall and insulator rings and to receive said bolt coaxially therein, clamping means in said housing having oppositely disposed toothed portions arranged for ratchet engagement with the threads on said bolt at opposite sides thereof to retain the same against withdrawal from the housing, cam surfaces interiorly of said housing cooperable with said clamping means to cause the toothed portions of the same to engage the threads on said bolt with pressure that increases according to withdrawal forces exerted on said bolt, a cap enclosing said housing, and a lead-in cable extending inwardly of the outer end of said cap and having its conductor electrically connected to said clamping means.

CHARLES A. TROWBRIDGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 427,930 Suchland May 13, 1890 591,363 Spalding Oct. 5, 1897 2,146,654 Shea Feb. 7, 1939 2,149,719 Arnest Mar. 7, 1939 2,214,598 Benschoten Sept. 10, 1940 2,249,055 Thompson July 15, 1941 2,251,889 Ludwig Aug. 5, 1941 2,366,634 Ludwig Jan. 2, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 273,110 Great Britain June 30, 1927 

